By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
Gaming's annual preview marathon occurred over the weekend, showcasing numerous new titles amid an industry grappling with layoffs and uncertainty. With expectations tempered regarding blockbuster releases, Microsoft delivered a successful showcase, spotlighting Call of Duty's upcoming installment, Black Ops 6, set in the 1990s.
Notably, it will be the first game in the series available on Xbox Game Pass. Amid concerns over last year's poorly received Modern Warfare III campaign, developers aim to redeem the franchise's reputation. However, Microsoft's showcase was just one highlight of a packed weekend.
The Microsoft's showcase, though not without criticisms of genre repetition, showcased its diverse portfolio, featuring female protagonists and characters from ethnic minorities. Despite recent criticism of lacking direction, Microsoft successfully refocused attention on its games.
Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest showcased limited surprises, with notable appearances from Remedy Entertainment and the announcement of Civilization VII and a new Sonic game. Although lacking major franchise appearances, the event revealed Valorant's console release, a glimpse of Harry Potter Quidditch Championship, and trailers for new games from Blumhouse. Notably, Sony and Lego's collaboration based on PlayStation's Horizon series excludes Xbox.
2024 may herald a rise in indie game prominence, with breakout successes like Palworld and Helldivers II originating from smaller studios. Indie showcases provided a platform for these developers, with initiatives like Innersloth's Outersloth project offering support to indie studios. Amid pre showcase hype, not all rumors materialized, hinting at potential hardware announcements from Microsoft in the future. Despite some expectations remaining unmet, the gaming community eagerly anticipates forthcoming showcases, including Ubisoft's upcoming event.